Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade filming dates at Walt Disney World

Every year since 1983, families have gathered around the television on Christmas morning to tune in to the Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade. The television special features a parade down Main Street, U..S.A. with appearances from Disney's most iconic and beloved characters, marvelous floats, celebrity appearances, musical performances, and more.

The program is usually recorded in November for airing on Christmas Day, and now we know the exact dates. It's been confirmed that the Magical Christmas Day Parade will be filmed at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom on November 9th and 10th at 2:00 p.m. EST.

What to know about the Magical Christmas Day Parade filming

If you plan on attending Magic Kingdom on either of the filming dates, there's a few things to note. First of all, consider yourself lucky because you'll be the first to see this year's Magical Christmas Day Parade — well before it airs on Christmas Day!

Secondly, this is completely free! As long as you have a valid park ticket on either of those days, you'll be able to enjoy the parade and holiday festivities for completely free. Now the downside is that the parade may result in some human traffic jams, especially on Main Street, U.S.A. Due to the nature of filming for television, the crew needs some extra time to get specific shots at the right angle. You can also expect to see camera and production crews as well as camera cranes, which may ruin some photo sightlines.

But those are small sacrifices for what is ultimately a rare and unique opportunity to witness the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating Disney's magical television special.

We were at the filming last year and other than a few extra cameras and an extended parade that you normally don't see unless you attend Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, it feels like a pretty normal day at the Magic Kingdom.